OSSO BUCCO.........

Oh those slow cooked meals invented by busy women in the past and what comfort and smells they offer up in the cold weather..My house smells divine.. a faint hint of onion,butter,meat,tomatoes and and bay wafts through the chilly halls and into my nose reminding me I have parsley sauce to make yet. Osso Bucco, a classic Milanese veal knuckle stew takes about 3 hours from start to finish but is worth the effort..
YOU WILL NEED

Coat 2 large veal knuckles with flour generously

in a large enamel pot heat 2 T butter with 2T olive oil let this get quite hot

Braise the veal on all sides for several minutes searing the meat

Remove the meat and set aside

Combine 3 cups of chicken broth with 1 cup of white wine..pour this into the pan and deglaze ..reduce flame or heat to simmer..Replace the veal in the stock..salt and pepper and cover

Cut into small pieces 2 carrots, 1 onion,and 3 ribs of celery..chop these in a Cuisineart medium fine..place this mixture in a bowl

Peel and seed 4 tomatoes by placing them ion boiling water for several minutes, cool and remove skins and seeds Chop these into chunks..reserve

At this point add 1/4 cup of the vegetable mix to the simmering meat, add a bay leaf..continue to cook this for 1 hour watching the juices to keep the meat moist..turn the veal once..

Turn off the heat...let the meat rest

chicken stock...vegetables and the parsley mix

peeled tomatoes

the simmering gold

look like toads!!!!!

THE PARSLEY SAUCE

cut up in a Cuisineart 1 bunch of Italian flat parsley..12-15 cloves of peeled garlic...decant into a sealed container and add about 1/4-1/2 cup of olive oil enough to coat the mix..

using a grater ,zest the skin of one large organic lemon add this zest to the parsley.. THIS MIX is wonderful with fish, on sandwiches and mixed into the Osso Bucco just before serving....it also makes a fabulous pasta sauce...add some pasta water and you are good to go...

To plate the dish...reheat the meat and simmer for 10 minutes...add the tomatoes and vegetable mix. ( at this point an optional flavor is to add 3-4 crushed juniper berries).let this cook for another 10 minutes...turn off heat.. Grate a little orange peel into the mixture

SEE the spaetzle?????? follow the directions on the package and serve this with the meat..

A big romaine salad with lemon juice and olive oil is perfect with this wintery meal..

If you have any left overs use this as a sauce for baked precooked rigatoni...

Pour the wine..light the fire...bliss

and the RED RED Robin.....

SPRING hangs in the air like a ghost..Snow is yet on the ground but the scattering of the birds,the chipmunks and the multiplying footprints in the snow each morning leave a tell tale tapestry of the approaching change..welcomed it is..

The robins are puffed up and singing so spring cannot be far behind..

Yesterday I was inspired to change my table to Easter/Spring..

I love dragging out all the little bits and composing a table landscape..This year it ended up rather feminine and soft..other years it has been playful,dramatic or pristine and simple.. we used to compose these as a family but since our grown children are on their own now the job is ours. Its a nice tradition : preparing for the festivities of seasons..



YEARS AGO when our young family lived in the hills outside of Los Angeles...spring brought on a flurry of wildlife..I had planted a small 2 sided patio garden from barren soil..It was a small garden masterpiece..One day I realized I would like to have it documented so I called up a friend who photographed for the LA Times in the garden section..We were all ready for the shoot..The morning of the appointment I awoke early and looked out the window to an animated scene of watching my garden disappearing into the ground...to my horror a groundhog had discovered restaurant central and was hoovering through my garden with such speed I was reeling........Plink..gone pluck..gone...like some Disney cartoon...

SHIT.... I had to call the entire shoot off..The left side of the garden looked like a grazed mini plot...It became a funny story as time passed...can't blame the critters.. they need food....Now when I plant things I keep barriers in mind. In my garden in France I have many items planted in recycled bathtubs..they make great containers as the iron is good for the soil ,they have predrilled draining,they keep the soil temperate and all the growth is kept well above ground to ward off night eaters ..they also provide a sense of scale..height in the potagerie...I can rotate the small crops more easily...I am thinking seeds..little shoots and reawakening.. can't wait to get my hands dirty...and feel the warmth come through the soil as the days get longer,warmer and sunnier.....ahhhhhhh spring...

TORTILLA CREPE

you will need: 4 large flour tortillas

3 different cheses

one red,orange and green pepper

1 white onion

Fresh basil leaves

1 small eggplant

grate 3 different cheeses of your choice.... manchego,spicy montery jack, smoky gouda as a suggestion

finely slice red,green,and yellow peppers

finely slice some white onion

saute these until soft in a fry pan

set aside

slice very thin a small eggplant lengthwise

saute the slices browning a bit on each side in a little olive oil

set aside

Assemble the tortilla crepe using 3 tortillas..place a generous amount of the cheese and pepper mixture on the first tortilla

press the second tortilla on top of this

place cheese and a couple of the eggplant pieces on the second tortilla and cover with fresh basil leaves

Repeat the third tortilla as the first with the peppers and cheeses

Add a 4th tortilla to complete the crepe

Heat some oil in a pan larger than the tortillas...keep the pan hot but not smoking..the heat should be consistant and moderate..

Gently "fry" the tortilla crepe until browned on one side..... turn the crepe and brown on tthe other side....press the crepe down a bit with a plate to ensure the cheses melt into the layers...

Remove from the pan

serve immediately with your favorite salsa...

Albondagas Soup is good with this......another posting

SWEET TWEET

There is nothing like the calm and discovery of the details in a garden and I am certain this little chirp here has had its tour of many a verdant paradise..Would love to be able to fly..

Bird's eye view: and what a vantage point...The trumpet flower here is called Bella Dona .In the medieval times the flowers were ground up and fed to people's enemies..in small doses it can be used as medicine but in general it is not a recommended food source for either us or our feathered friend here. I planted this in the summer of l986. My gardener at the time was a mature man and very wise.We grafted 4 different colors together on the same mother trunk. The results some 22+ years later is magnificent..The Bella Dona gives off a heady perfume at night and helps to ward off mosquitoes. It must be trimmed back with abandon in the spring and fed.It also prospers from mid- summer pruning. ...which encourages thicker foliage and more blooms.

This past summer we had a renewal of bees in the area..I counted at one point 8 different varieties..from large black and yellow bumblebees to hornets,and several honey bees.This I was grateful for as there has been much talk around the world on the diminishing populous of the honey bees. I spent a good part of last winter studying the art of bee keeping thinking that if I installed a hive near my garden all would be well..Mother Nature provded another solution..I also do not spray my garden and try to use natural augmentation such as coffee gounds...whrred up culinary remnants in the blender...(bananas are a bonus for roses)... and tilling in any compost I can create..I could be GREENER and I am working on that..

Its Bean Weather and time for some good Italian Beans...

Soak an 8oz package of navy beans in cold water for 4-5 hours

Drain and rinse several times

Cover the beans in 3qt saucepan with water well over the bean line..add water as they cook

Simmer the beans for at least 1 hour..test with a small knife...some people like firm beans (me) and others prefer soft beans...

While the beans are cooking add a couple of broken bay leaves...do not add salt

Drain the beans and divide into 2 containers...One group you can use to make soup ..the other can be a meal..

I like to make up a simple tomato sauce with fennel seeds, chopped basil and some finely chopped onion..This I incorporate into the beans, adding salt, pepper and 2-3T butter. Do not over sauce the beans ..the sauce is for flavor not a bath..

These can be served as a meal with pecarino reggiano cheese and some steamed greens..

Add a glass of crisp cold white wine.....and you are flying.....

PAINTING PLATES

Valentine's day was a fun evening...starting with the beet and tomato salad pictured here..I love the selection of beets one can purchase now in the markets. This salad was comprised of yellow,orange and red beets..but after they sat together in their juices they all appeared red.

I sprinkled a little apple vinegar on them with a generous pinch of sea salt. sliced a white onion paper thin and let the salad cool to room temperature. When I plated the salad I added halfed

baby tomatoes and scissor cut fresh basil strips onto the whole thing...then fresh ground pepper..A great start..

I have to admit to a collectors mania..PLATES are my jewelry or closet.. I rarely spend money or time on clothing even though I love textiles and was/am a textile designer for decades..It is the plate that lures me..I have found rare plates at junk stores,purchased pottery from potters..salvaged from the Goodwill..haunted tag and garage sales ,and greatly hinted for any occasion: a well halved gift would be plates..I guess they are my canvas..I have often thought about my infatuation with food and food prep and I think it is my emotional glue.. The immediate appreciation of the effort is rewarding but the chance to attack another empty canvas is probably more the accurate impetus..

Another TOMATO offering:

This dish was concocted several years ago when I discovered an entire box of cherry tomatoes I had forgotten about in the back of the fridge..(many a great meal is a result of such treasure hunts)

Pour a generous amount of olive oil into a flat casserole (about 1/8 cup)..place the tomatoes

singularly close to each other in one layer..Sprinkle herbs de Provence over the entire lot..salt and pepper... pierce each tomato with a pin to avoid popping....NOW BAKE in a moderate oven (325) for 2-3 hours until the tomatoes confit..Cool and use as a side relish for meats, eggs, or fish..one can alter the seasonings with fennel,curry..etc....

HEARTS IN HAND

I saw a post on AOL of a couple who have been married for some 80+ years siting on their porch all dressed up..They look ageless...their daughter has posted a twitter competition for the best 14 questions from the public. What is the secret to their love's longevity?.. It made me look at my own marriage, how Jerry and I met and what were the elements of our 37 year liaison and marriage

These are the most important factors I came up with:

1.try never to go to sleep angry

2.Resolve every problem with a plan

3.money can be replaced ...honor takes time

4.children know when you are not in sync..so it is wise to try and remain on the same page

with discipline and life lessons

5.Love may not always be on the same throttle from day to day..but respect can be kept in gear

6.Keep a sense of humor..it will get you through so many hiccups

7.Loss is the hardest thing to accept in life but having a partner who does not qualify that loss

is paramount

8. Have goals..share interests..talk ..talk.. talk... communication is key

9.Take time off from your recognizable routine..travel..live in another culture is you can even if

it is for a vacation..immerse yourself in something different

10. Embrace a passion for something ..build on it..share it with others

11. Value your family and friends and give them the time they deserve

12..Cook..sit down and have family meals or have designated days of festivities .Celebration

enriches your life

13.Read.... read books..newspapers..articles..blogs...childrens papers..random graffiti..it keeps

one open to change and change is always constant.

14.try and find joy in the mundane tasks..avoid amassing clutter..define your personal

sense of order and pride of ownership

15. Embrace the idea that everything/one deserves love and recognition..an act of random

kindness a day will keep you keen

16.Beautiful people see beautiful things in life..they wear this peace.. the real RTWear

17. When a baby smiles at you or a dog jumps up and kisses you: know you are on the correct

path

18. Mentally list your blesssings once a week

19.Tell your family you love them....often..daily

20.Respect, talk and aid elderly people..it is inevitable you too will be old one day.and the

smallest gesture can make a difference to both you and the recipient..it sends a glow through

your own long term marriage

21.Own a pet.. tend a garden or a plant...or an herb garden these will teach you another kind of

love and loving

22. Wake up, greet the day and KNOW this day is going to be a winner..it diminishes any

unforseen hurdles

Jerry and I "met" when I saw him across an intersection in an open field preparing for a festival .He did not see me but I never forgot his presence..Several years later I delivered some

dresses to his business The Moveable Feast for some of his sandwich girls..He came out of his office and I recognized him instantly..His story.. is that he saw me and fell in love at first sight.

It took a couple of years before we dated,..meanwhile he would hire me for projects for his catering business so we got to know each other slowly..When we finally dated, which consisted of one date..living with each other and marrying shortly thereafter, friends would ask me how could I marry this guy so quickly...My response was: he was always fair in business, never questioned me about a fee and always paid me when I presented an invoice..If a man is that fair in business I had total confidence he would be fair in marriage: that was the tobaggan I was looking

for....Life and love should bee a wonderful unpredictable ride..

Happy Valentine's Day to all you lovers

The Magic of Silence and SNOW

There is high contrast between the outside landscape now and the warmth of a fireplace burning..the soft inviting colours of an interior, and the safety of that crackle...

Cabin fever is lurking so it is out into the snow I go today..There are soft footprints of the little rascals from the forest all over our terrace.. my favorite being the tiny triple v's of some birds that have had quite long distance hopping event..

It is soup weather and I am in need of color..so it will be Butternut squash,cauliflower Soup

today

Butternut,Cauliflower Soup

Steam seperately cut up pieces of squash and cauliflower until fork soft...let cool a bit

puree this in a cuisineart

Place the puree back into a large 2 quart sauce pan

NOW add

1 container of chicken broth

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

1/2 stick of butter

1 teaspoon of ground cumin

1 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger

Bring this all to a simmer

Serve this with a curry cream

Curry Cream spoon out 3 T of creme fraiche or sour cream into a bowl

add 1 Tablespoon of lime pickle with juices (purchase from an East Indian

grocery)

THIS WILL AWAKEN THE SENSES......... and warm your tummy.........breathe in....

Cupid's Suspense

Valentine's Day..how to treasure the loves of our lives..I like to make red food on Valentines Day to jump start the heart pounding..The chandelier here is one I inherited from my mother in law which I squished tissue paper flowers around the candles..( I don't ever light the real candles) the lights are on a dimmer creating a delicate glow at night.. The other photos are details of the table with handmade valentines of different papers..I sent out all my cards yesterday before the big storm here in the east coast...Like the snowflakes each one is a little different: just as each liaison is valued for its differences and the gifts each friend has donated to my life.

Flames might light the fire but it is the embers that have lit my heart.

Smokey Paprika Tomato Soup keep things simple..

Open one box of PACIFIC organic Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

(available at Whole Foods, Trader Joes or at some Super Markets)

add 2 cups of water

dice and add 2 cut up tomatoes

Whrr in a blender or bullet 1/2 white onion add this to the soup

a little cracked pepper

1/2 cup of gin ( this gives the soup a juniper edge) optional

1 generous teaspoon of Smoked Spanish Paprika

1/4 cup of milk

Heat until bubbling: serve

This same soup can be made without the smokey paprika

substitute 2 T. crushed dried tarragon, a pinch of sugar, and 1/4 cup of creaam or milk

Start Red and end up blushing.....now onto the card game..??? strip poker anyone??

Live, love, and laugh